Thad Matta, Ohio State head coach, announced the addition of three student-athletes to the Buckeye men’s basketball program Wednesday. The class of high school seniors is rated by analysts as a Top 10 class nationally.
Shannon Scott, son of former North Carolina star Charlie Scott, will play the point position for the Buckeyes when he arrives in Columbus.
As a high school player to date, Shannon (6-2, 165) led Milton High School in Alpharetta, Ga., to the 5A state championship with an overall 29-4 record as a junior. The squad was ranked No. 1 during the title run. He averaged 13 points and 8.0 assists last year.
David Boyd, head coach at Milton, said Buckeye fans will enjoy watching a player who does what is needed to win.
“I think he’s very underrated nationally,” Boyd said. “The scouting services go by stats and spectacular dunks and that’s not his way. He doesn’t do anything spectacular. He does everything a team needs to win.”
Sam Thompson is the lastest student-athlete from the Chicago area to join the Buckeyes. Evan Turner, the 2010 National Player of the Year and current Ohio State freshman Lenzelle Smith Jr., also call Chicagoland their home.
Thompson (6-6, 190) plays for Whitney Young High School in downtown Chicago where he won a state title as a sophomore with a 25-9 record. The squad was ranked No. 1 in Illinois that season. As a junior, Thompson led Whitney Young to a runner up finish in the state tournament with a record of 23-7. He averaged nearly 12 points. 8.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks a game.
Trey McDonald, a 6-9, 230-pound center, plays for Battle Creek (Mich.) High School. His squad finished 11-9 last season. An all-city and all-conference performer as a junior, McDonald led his team in scoring with 10 points a game to go along with 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks an outing.
Ohio State Men’s Basketball 2011 Recruiting Class
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School
Shannon Scott PG 6-2 165 Alpharetta, Ga./Milton
Sam Thompson F 6-6 190 Chicago/Whitney Young
Trey McDonald C 6-9 230 Battle Creek, Mich./Battle Creek Central